The Girl Next Door
by The Perverted Overlord
Summary: After Steven, a Zoroark is kicked out of his home by his fiancée, he decides to rent a hotel room. Little does he now, a new girl moves into the city, and lives in the same building... In the room across from his. Working as a teacher, how will career care when he finds that they both start to feel something about the two of them... Warning: Contains Lolicon, may contain lemons
1. Chapter 1

"Do you even love me?!" Screamed an angry nine-tails, throwing a glass at a stone faced zoroark, Steven, narrowly missing his head. "You don't even say a simple hello when you get home" tears rolling down her face "what is it?! Don't you care anymore" she asked, pacing about the living room, integrating the zoroark who was sitting on the lounge. He gave a sigh. He himself didn't know himself "ever since we got engaged, you've been avoiding me and hardly speaking to me. Is there another woman or something" she fumed. Truth be told, there kind of was another woman zoroark was seeing. The old nine-tails, the Nina he knew before they got engaged only a year ago, back when she was playful and full of life, the one he knew for fifteen years, back in their school days. As soon as they got engaged, something just faded. She soon became more serious with commitment and slumped into a dreary woman, all her childish nature vanishing into a clouded wisp. As that happened, he just lost his love for her, despite her being a lovely woman, she was just not for him, being quite when together, avoiding eye contact when speaking and in general, trying to avoid her presence. He couldn't explain it, and pondered it in his own little world, zoning out on the lounge while his fiancée was having a breakdown. "Are you even listening to me?" She demanded. He just looked downcast, his gaze at the carpet that now had shattered glass. This wasn't what he wanted, it was all about what she wanted. Their relationship just made him feel like a void was in him and nothing she could do would fill it because nothing would come over to fill it. Furious at his silence she screamed "fine, if you are going to be so damn heartless, then we're through" she grabbed the ring on her hand threw it at him. It landed in his lap. He just picked it up and gazed at it curiously gazed at it before removing his own, pocketing them both, no point in throwing it away.

"I guess you're right" he said huskily, not making eye contact. She always had to be right. She just growled and stormed off up the stairs. All alone, Steven looked around at all the photos of the pair of them. Them on their first date, them at the park having a picnic, and one of them at their engagement party. He sighed, thinking over what to do now, seeing now that he had to move seeing this was her place, because in all honesty, she was the bread winner in the relationship, seeing she's a doctor, and he was an underpaid teacher in a low funded school. Getting up from the couch, he went to grab one last glass of water from the kitchen, his head aching from an unknown source, probably from her incessant nagging, stepping carefully over the glass. Before he could reach the doorway leading to the kitchen, Nina was already stomping back down the steps, bags in hand. She threw them at Steven, who caught all of them with ease, before giving a silent nod, understanding that she wanted him out and gone quickly.

"Get out" she said, tearfully "before I make you" and with that, Steven was walking out the door and into the rain. It always rained when he hated it the most. Now he was going to have to find a new home to live in, while in the rain.

Like rows of cannons, the rain bombarded, bouncing off Steven's umbrella as he stood at a bus bay, waiting for his lift to his new apartment that he was to be renting for probably a long time. He hated rain, as it always made him even more miserable and distressed which he already was, and often he would get soaked even if there was an umbrella. His brown coat going dark from raindrops, he shuddered into the shelter of what dry spots in his clothes he could find, the cold breeze trying to freeze him solid. He really hated the rain. Already it had soaked his bags that he awkwardly held in one hand, and his black shoes, going straight through into the socks. Heaving a sigh of defeat, he closed his eyes in an effort to escape into a mental happy land, his ears still primed to listening out for the bus as he would have hated to have missed the bus. As he stood, he couldn't help but feel something bump his leg. He ignored it, thinking that it was either just the rain or his own imagination. He grew curious when he felt it again, and again. Opening his eyes, he looked around, but no one was nearby or passing through, until he felt it again. Looking down, he could see a little riolu girl, looking no more than 12 years old, white cotton shirt and plaid skirt both soaked in the rain, her brown satchel clutched to her chest in her arms. She was tugging on his black trouser pants, obviously looking for refuge from the deluge.

"Excuse sir" she said, her voice barely a whisper "is it okay if I stay under here" how could Steven say no, the poor girl was probably cold, and besides, he really had nothing better to do. Thought in his mind, what really tipped the scales were her beautiful eyes. Her dazzling ruby red eyes

"Sure I guess..." He said awkwardly, moving his umbrella so it was in the middle of the two, half keeping them dry. Not wanting to make herself a nuisance, she clung to this strangers leg, trying to not take up room so he wouldn't have to move the umbrella, arms wrapped round tightly. His heart missing a beat, the sudden rush of this riolu cuddling his leg took him by surprise, not sure what to do in this situation. She was only a child, not even his own, but here she was now hugging his leg

"Sorry..." She said "I didn't want to impose on your hospitality, it's just I wanted to hide from the rain..." She looked down a little embarrassed "also... You're really warm" her cheeks red, almost tempted to let go now as she realised just how close she was to him.

"Okay then" Steven said, not me minding the little girls touch. For some reason it was... Calming and comforting, and gave warmth in this abysmal weather. They made an awkward couple, standing in the rain, an adult Zoroark with a handful of bags and a Riolu schoolgirl who was clutching her satchel. "Where are you going to?" he asked, trying hard to make small talk to break the silence.

"Oh, uh..." She fumbled around around in her satchel, pulling out a scarp of paper with messy handwriting scrawled all over it "Pallet Street" Steven was a little bit amazed at the coincidence of the situation, seeing that was where his new apartment was.

"What surprise, I'm heading there to." He said, then realised how suspicious he sounded, judging by the concerned look on the girls face, eyes shaking a little, worried I might now be following her "I am renting an apartment there" he said, trying to assure her. She nodded slowly, not looking so worried. Before they could continue their awkwardly pleasant conversation, their bus had arrived. Detaching from his leg, she stepped on the bus, closely followed by the Zoroark who was just close my his umbrella. Getting some strange looks from a few of the passengers, mainly that of the females, eying me, seeing what he was doing with this child. He tried to ignore them, following this girl, who found two empty seats, patting the one next to her without out looking at her. He wasn't sure if he should sit next to her, sure it was just a sign of friendly hospitality, but the fact remained, they hardly knew each other. But the way she was just so kind as to save a seat for a man she didn't even know, he couldn't help but accept her seat. Setting himself comfortably in the seat without bumping into her, he looked up to see a female blaziken giving me the evil eye, trying to intimidate him, thinking he might of been a child predator, stalking this little girl. He gulped, trying to avoid her eye, but couldn't help but notice her looking like she was about to say something to him, before the Riolu hugged his arm, resting her on his shoulder. Backing down, the Blaziken kept glaring at him, still a little wary of this Zoroark.

"Wake me up when we get there mister" she asked, her eyelids drooping

"I promise" he said, hand over his chest "and thanks for stopping that woman from squawking at me"

"It was *yawn* the least I could do..." She said, falling asleep on his arm. He just smiled at this little cute spectacle, resting on his arm. She really was a kind kid, even if she was a stranger. Steven stroked the fur on her head, and which was soft and warm, a comfort for his cold rigid hands. Without thinking, his hand started to indulge in the feeling of her fur, creeping down to the back of her head, and soon along her arm. Before this could go any further, he heard a sarcastic clearing of the throat. His hand retreated back to her head, and he turned his own to see who was "coughing". It was Delphox, and she was staring intently at both him and his little friend.

"Is she yours?" She asked, curious

"N-n-no, she is just my friends daughter" he lied, a cold head of sweat forming in his head. This Delphox, Diana, was one of his co-workers at school, and if word got around of him being suspicious around a child, his career would burn to the ground.

"Oh, I guess that would be right, Nina is a nine tails, and this little one here is a riolu" she said, stroking her chin "by the way, how are you two going"

"... We broke up" he said, still trying not to think about her

"Oh what? You guys were amazing together as everything" she was shocked

"We just... Had a fallout" he said bluntly and coldly, trying not to talk to her.

"Oh... Well I suppose you are moving out then" before she gave the riolu one last look. "Tell little Rachael I said hi when she wakes up"

"Wait, how did you you...?" Steven was about to asked before being cut off

"I'm a psychic" she smirked, before leaning over to his ear to whisper "you don't know her but I understand the situation, your career is safe... For now" those words were at first comforting, except for those last few words, which sent shivers down Steven's spine. Before he could say anything, she looked over her shoulder to see where the bus was stopping. "Looks like you two get off here" she said, taking a back step to let him through. He looked over to be sure, before waking up Rachael, who's blurred little eyes batted a few times, before she let out a small yawn.

"We're here" he said, trying to resist saying her name. He didn't want her to think he was a stalker. She rubbed her eyes while getting up from her seat, her first few steps a little wobbly. Before she could stumble over, Steven scooped her arm with one arm, carrying her while she then cuddled his neck. Trying to avoid any stares that the passengers gave, he walked out of the bus, and to his relief, the rain had stopped pouring. He carried her a few more steps until the bus had moved away, then knelt down "down you get" he said, and the riolu reluctantly let go, not wanting to constantly walk anymore. Getting her balance in check, her feet a little wobbly from sleep, she gave a small bow.

"Thank you sir" she said, before turning to walk down the streets "I'm heading home" she continued. She was heading towards the apartments, the exact same ones as he was renting. He felt awkward walking in the same direction of someone of her age, but had no choice. Walking down behind her, she shifted her eyes to try and look as far back as she could without turning her head, her peripheral vision seeing him following her, her pace picking up. She sped walked up to the hotel door, rummaged in her bag for her card hastily, before swiping in and dashing inside. Her little heart fluttering, she felt uneasy now. At first, she was hesitant to approach him, then comfortable when on the bus, but now, she felt like this was too much of a coincidence for him to be following her around. She wanted to go take the elevator, but it was in use and near the tallest floor. She looked back at the glass door, to see him pressing the buzzer, before saying something she couldn't hear. He was replied with the door unlocking for him. Walking inside, she was a little scared now, the Zoroark walking towards, his dark mane gave him a portrait of mysterious menace, before turning to the counter, talking to the Meinshao behind it.

"Hello, I'm Steven Coles, I'm here for my room card, number 23" he said. 23. That was the room across from her's, the coincidence starting to become menacing, and she was going to head toward the stairs when he spoke, taking his card "sorry little one, if I am scaring you, but be assured, it's all just coincidence, I'm not a stalker" for someone reason, despite how ridiculous it seemed, she trusted him, and waited for him at the base of the stairs, now a little curious to know this stranger, this "Steven". After he signed the papers verifying his identity, he turned to see Rachael waiting for him. Giving a friendly smile, he proceeded to walk up the stairs, with Rachael walking right beside him. At first, the two were silent, only the sound of their footsteps being heard, before Rachael spoke.

"My names Rachael, in case you were wondering" she spoke, properly introducing herself

"Steven, but I figured you already know that" he said, introducing himself. "I'm the teacher at the local school, I teach the sixth grade"

"I see, well... I'm new in town so I haven't gone to school yet." She replied "but I am in the sixth grade, so suppose I will be seeing you a lot this year." They both grew quiet when she said that. After reaching their floor, they both went to their rooms, before turning around to see the other. They both cracked a small smile when they saw there room were right across from each other

"See you soon neighbour" they both said, before entering their rooms. Entering his room, he gave sigh, as he threw down his bags in the barren room.

"Rachael..." He said, the word bouncing around his head as he started to unpack "Rachael... The girl next door..."


	2. Chapter 2

The morning was... Quiet. And cold. Steve was used tithe constant chatter from Nina every morning as they both slept in bed together, snuggling before Steve managed to break free so he could get ready for work, always playing around with her until she got out herself. At least, he did until they got engaged. Then she was straight forward and serious, always batting him away when he tried fooling around with her of a morning, saying sternly

"We're both professionals here, we have to get ready for work" he never liked being pushed away like that. He was an affection dependant person, who loved ones laying with his partner. He often would have been normally lively, but when things got serious, he would slip into a melancholy state of mind, with his boredom turning into depression. Shaking off his feelings of self pity and sadness, he got up from bed, walking out of his cramped bedroom, into his small kitchen. He couldn't be sad, he had to be happy, but not for himself, but for his students. All the kids at the school all love and respect him as being a nice teacher who is fair but always just. He made toast while forcing a small smile, which was a little hard. A wearing a fake smile was like wearing a bear trap on ones face, it could snap at any moment and people got hurt if it did. Taking a bite, he sat at the table, feet resting in the chair opposite him. It was 7:45, so he had time before departing, letting him have a little luxury to relax on the quiet morning. He just let himself crunch in his toast as he mulled over what subjects he was to teach today. When his thoughts went to his class, the first and only thing he could think of, was the new girl, Rachael. He hardly knew the little jackal, but their first encounter was... Warming. He felt the void of his empty relationship fill in when she hugged his leg in fear of being a burden to him, her warmth seeping through the cold rain. He shook his head, trying to lose this weird feeling. She was a student after all, and to make matters worse, she was his student. He wasn't one to mix pleasure and business, but what pleasure was their to be had. She was a 12 year old girl, so why would he be thinking anything about her, also, he didn't even know her last name, so she was basically a stranger. He sighed as he ate, wondering if maybe Diana was on to something when she said his career would soon be in jeopardy...

Rachael was lying on her back in bed, boxes still unopened and unpacked. She didn't like it here. She liked her old home at her own city over back in Sinnoh, where all her friends were. It was going to be the first day of school for the year today, and she was probably the most reluctant to go. She had no friends here... Except maybe Steve... Her teacher. Arceus knew how much she would be picked on if her only friend at school was a teacher, teacher's pet being one of numerous nicknames the kids would make for her. She sighed as she rolled onto her belly, moaning into her pillow. She had to make friends quickly. Her mother, Laura, gave a polite knock on the door before opening it. She was tall and strong looking lucario, but seemed to be very fatigued as well.

"Rachael, get ready, I have to go to work soon and drop you off at school." She said, walking over to the little girl to give her a little nudge "come on, get up lazy bones"

"Why?" Rachael asked, drawling on as she rolled onto her back again.

"Because you need to be educated to get anywhere sweetie" she sighed, arms crossed, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"But why did we have to move region?" Rachael asked, sitting up. Her mother just looked off in the distance

"Well, with your father gone, mummy needs a place where she can get work to keep us healthy and happy" she glance back to her daughters "I know it's hard, but don't worry to much, I'm sure you will make lots of good friends here. Now, get changed while I fix you up a quick breakfast" Rachael just nodded, slipping her legs over the side of the bed, before giving her mum a quick cuddle before hopping to her feet. Her Laura left the room as her daughter went to her wardrobe to change into her uniform

The pair of them bumped into each other as the exited their rooms, giving a brief smile to each other before proceeding down the stairs.

"Ready for your first day at your new school" he asked, trying to break the ice.

"No..." She grumbled tiredly

"Why not?" He asked, trying to cheer her up "I'm sure you're going to do great in class" she glanced away

"It's not that..." She said "I'm just... Going to have no friends here" she looked miserable

"Well, you've got to guide you" he smiled, patting her on the shoulder "and I'm sure you will make friends easily" she wasn't entirely convinced, but smiled nonetheless.

"Thanks, Steven" she said, nuzzling him slightly. They continued to chatter about oncoming topics going on in class, when they reached the bottom of the stairs, still talking as they went out the door and onto the streets. They made their way to the bus stop

"So what's it like in Sinnoh?" Steven asked. She looked like she as straining her thoughts

"Hmmm... A little bigger than Unovah, but aside from that, I guess just the people who I know..." She replied

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you move?" Steven asked, cautious not to press a nerve. She went a little quiet.

"I... My dad... He..." She said, her voice choking up, her eyes starting to well up. Steven saw the damage he did and quickly gave her a quick hug

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked" he said, trying to hush her from bursting into tears.

"I-i-it's okay..." She sniffed, wiping her eyes. "It's not your fault..."

"Well it's going to be be better soon" he said, trying to comfort the girl. She felt warm, and somewhat tingly as he held her in his arms that she felt were strong and firm, her head swimming from the smell of his musk, something she was not familiar with. As he consoled her, the bus soon arrived, the sable eye at the wheel opened the doors, inviting would be passengers. Giving one last ruffle of her hair. He guided the girl onto the bus, trying to avoid the looks from the passengers, once again in an awkward situation similar to that of yesterday's events. Finding two empty seats, the pair of them sat down, and chatted more about upcoming topics to be studied in school.

It was a bus ride that Rachael found too short, as she was just getting interested on the topic of what they were going to study for history, medieval times, with Knights and princesses. The bus' tires gave a crunch noise as it came to stop on gravely Tarmac road that lay in front of the school. It was a little shabby at parts, with clear signs of age, but it was at least decent enough not to be broken down and decrepit. There was five buildings, four of them being two storey class blocks, and the fifth being probably the office and teachers lounge. The playground was friendly looking, with patches of grass in between the intricate pavements. There was a set of swings and a slide, though the kindy students usually were the only ones to use them. At the back was a small sports field, a running track with a miniature soccer field inside it. Rachael looked at her new school, though not as extravagant as her old school, she liked it. She did, however, feel a little intimidated by the amount of strangers she saw passing by on the school grounds, kids playing tag, chasing each other with sticks, playing pretend, or even sitting and chatting. She gave off a slight whimper at the sight of all these children. She felt a hand pay her on the head, it, of course, belonged to Steven

"It's okay, you can hold onto my hand until class starts, alright?" He asked, offering his clawed hand. Giving a faint smile, she took his hand graciously, feeling her heart flutter as she felt safe holding his arm. He walked her round the school, showing her where the bathrooms were in every block, and showed her that the fifth building was actually a library, if however, was a small one. She really didn't care, as long as she held onto his hair hand, she knew his strong arms would protect her from these weird strangers. As he finished introducing her to the librarian, , a greying Stoutland, the bell rang, much to Rachael's disappointment, before remembering that he was her teacher, and took the opportunity to hold his hand a little while longer.

"Everyone, I would like you to meet our newest student, Rachael" Steven said, greeting the class to their latest addition "she's come all the way from Sinnoh, so be sure to be nice and welcome her to our school." Everybody gave a unanimous "hello" as she stood their uncomfortably, not wanting to leave the teachers side. "Rachael, if you could, please take a seat next to Kate, over by the window" he pointed to a desk next to a quiet looking Kirlia. She noises as she carried her little satchel over to her desk. Unpacking her books and pens, she readied for her lesson. "Alright class, today we're doing mathematics this morning" everyone gave a moan of complaint. Everyone but Rachael and Kate. Kate because she was just quiet in general, and Rachael because she was too preoccupied with her thoughts of her teacher.

Steven felt anxious as he wrote down notes on the board for simple multiplication, as he could feel Rachael's gaze. She looked at him, nervous but riddled with urges trying to drive her towards at him, emotions she just couldn't imagine in her naive mind were stirring like a violent stew of mayhem. Steven was tense, trying to keep his head together from breaking down. He didn't know what was causing all this fear and anxiety, all he knew was that when he was near Rachael, he felt uneasy and taut in the heart without reason. He was somewhat relieved when there was a knock at the door, followed by the principal, a Haryiyama by the name of Harrison Brawn. Looking stern in his suit, he gave a brief gesture that meant to come over to him. Giving a nod, Steven turned to his class

"I have some business to quickly attend to, please remain seated and copy down these notes and questions until I come back." He said to the students, all giving an evil grin as he left the room. "Anything the matter sir?" He asked, cautious to find the right words to handle this short fuse of a man.

"A slight issue, " he said, his words causing Steven's spine to melt "I couldn't help but notice that this morning you very..." He paused, looking for an appropriate term "... Close, to the new student, uh... Rachael" he said. Steven was a little spooked now, he didn't know what to say to try and defend his case, how to save his job, how to... How to... "and I just wanted to say that it is excellent that teachers such as yourself take care for their students" he chortled, slapping the dark type on the back, sending a jolt of both pain and surprise

"Th-th-Thankyou sir" was all he could muster, feeling weak in his knees

"Just don't get too close okay, remember, parents judge our school by our teachers" he said, edging seriousness

"Yes sir" Steven gulped

"Well, I mustn't keep you from your class, keep up the good work" he said, giving a grimace and a thumbs up. Giving a sigh of relief, Steven walked back into his class, the weight of panic some what lessening. The class was in slight disarray, with several of the kids out of their seats, some talking loudly, and he could of sworn he saw one tempting to escape via the window. "Alrighty class, every back to your seats and please be quiet" he asked, the children complying to his commands. He was relieved that they listen, as he chalked up more notes "okay everyone, we are working with our twelve times tables"

They bell rang and the students were all too eager to leave class, except Rachael, who stood timidly at Steven's desk. He looked up from his papers to notice her

"Why haven't you gone of to lunch?" He asked, eye brow raised

"I... I don't have anyone to eat with..." She said, a hint of sadness in her voice

"That's okay, go to Kate, she sits under one of the shady trees, I'm sure she will love the companionship" he suggested. She nodded slowly

"Can you please show me the way there?" She asked. Steven sighed, his arms crossed

"Fine, but please, I can't keep holding your hand" he said, getting up. She looked pouty at that comment, until he whispered in her ear "during school time" she smiled a little, grabbing his arm. They walked down a flight of stairs and out the door into the brightly sunlit playground. She looked around for the trees he was speaking of, and saw the little Kirlia, Kate, sitting by herself, absorbed into a book. "There's Kate, now you two have fun..." He said, about to let her hand go, but found she tripping on tightly, shaking her head

"Please" she said, eyes going puppy dog. She gave a dog like whimper, her tail sweeping the floor rapidly. He tried to resist, but gave in when started to tremble the lip.

"Just this once okay, I have work to mark, remember that alright" he said, walking over to the tree with her. Taking a seat, she hid slightly behind Steven. "Hello Kate, this is Rachael, she is new here so can she sit here with you?" He asked. Both timid girls looked at each other, before Kate nodded. "Thank you, now, I have some work I need to just finish, so you girls should get to know each other" as he left, Rachael sat awkwardly there, on the tree across from Kate's, both staring.

"H-h-h-hi" she said, giving a little wave. She waved back, still silent. The wind whistled in the absence of sound, whispering overhead. Rachael gulped, trying to swallow her anxiety, and went to go over to sit right next to her. "What are you reading?" Kate tilted her head to face her, before showing her the cover of her book, "To Kill a Pidegot". "That looks uhhh... Interesting" was all she could say, thinking that Kate was in a bracket higher than her own, reading such advanced books.

Sorry...if I... am quiet... a voice rung in Rachael's head, crackled and echoey, taking her by surprise, causing her to lurch backwards.

"Wh-what the...?" Rachael spluttered, Kate looking very embarrassed.

Sorry... I can... Not speak... Physically... she said, still disjointed in how her voice speaks out. Putting away her book, she grabbed a chalk board, and hastily scribbled out (sorry, is this better?.) Rachael nodded

"It's okay, I was just surprised" she said, unpacking her satchel, pulling out a bento box. With chopsticks in hand, she started to eat her lunch. "You can speak in my mind if you want" she said, mouth full of rice and fish.

Okay, I speak more clearly in a willing mind Kate's voice spoke in her head, with more clarity and less echo

"So why can't you speak?" Rachael asked, wiping her mouth with a napkin her mother packed

Mum and Dad say it is a medical condition I was born with she replied.

"Oh... So... You like poffins?" She asked, taking out a packet of sweet and sour poffins, offering one of the pink pastries to the Kirlia.

Thank You she said, lifting the poffin in the air with her mind, popping it into her mouth. The two girls discussed their favourite Poffin flavour, until the bell rang and they had to head back to class.

The final bell of the day rang and students poured out of the buildings to head to the bus bay. Rachael gave a wave to her new friend Kate as she made her way around the playground, looking desperately for Steven, so they could go home together. She wandered around, until she saw the tall Zoroark, walking out of the office building, paper work slung under one arm, talking to the Delphox, Diana. She didn't know why, but Rachael felt a flush of anger at Diana, seeing her with Steven, canine teeth gritting, her little knuckles white. She calmed down when she saw the two of the part away, and had Steven to herself. Running as fast as she could, she gave a him a hug on the leg

"Steven!" She cried. Looking around, embarrassed, Steven ruffled her hair

"Okay Rachael, remember, not at school" he said, prying her if his leg. She gave a nod, holding his arm, making him roll his eyes in defeat. The two of them made their way to the buses that took people to their homes, waiting patiently on the bench. Minutes passed as they saw kids leave in clusters, until they were the only two waiting. Rachael felt a little excited, being all alone with Steven, but Steven couldn't help but feel queazy from anxiety, not sure what to do. Rachael did. She cuddled up to her teacher, head giving a faint nuzzle to his chest. His breath heavy now as she ran her snout along his neck, sniffing about curiously. She stroked along his arms with her nose, nuzzling all the while. He was feeling... Something... Something he wasn't sure he should be feeling or not. Before this feeling could be defined, the pair of them heard the wheels of the bus approaching, Rachael lowering back to seat, a little miffed by the shortening of her snuggling time with Steven. They boarded the bus, sitting next to one another on the bus, not noticing the stare of one or two passengers.

The two were once again on the stairs of their apartment, walking up, but more quiet than normal, with only their footsteps to be heard. They reached their apartments, both about to grab their keys to unlock their doors, when Rachael whispered

"Steven, I need to tell you something" she said, Steven's blood going to ice. He turned

"What is it?" He asked. She gestured for him to kneel down to hear her. On her tipey-toes, she raised herself to be level with his face. She leant in close to his ear

"Good night" is all she said, before giving him a quick peck on the cheek and racing into her apartment with great speed. Steven just stood in the corridor, stumped by just what happened, rubbing the cheek she kissed. He just got kissed by a student... His career was in danger, he thought as he entered his apartment


	3. Chapter 3

Steven was in a small state of panic, with a hint of anxiety. This student, Rachael, she was... She... Liked him? That's all he could conclude from what she had just done in the hallway. Still rubbing his cheek where she kissed him. It felt warm, buzzing with the heat of her love, which felt fuzzy and bubbly, and a little be calming. He slumped down into his small couch, breathing in deeply to try and settle his rattling nerves. Letting out the breath as a heavy sigh, he rubbed his temples, trying to mull over on what to do. She was... Cute... That was something he couldn't openly say though, with the age gap, and himself being a male teacher. That was probably one of his major issues. He was a man, and people in this day and age, no matter how much good he does, will prosecute him without mercy if a single word is said about any molestation accusation. He had to make up his mind about his feelings, whether or not to embrace them or to push them away. He also had to decide that towards Rachael, who seems to have the intentions of the romantic variety, though Steven doubted that she would have a full concept of either of their emotions, because to be honest, he had no idea what was really going on anymore. His mind fumed and bubbled over the large quantity of indecision, he slammed a fist into the couch arm, hissing in a breath as his hand stung a little from whacking it down so hard. That breath was released in a deep and heavy heave, Steven deciding to just give up on trying to figure out what to do and wing it. He was bad at making any decisions, particularly without any guidance from someone he could talk comfortably towards about this. Someone who wouldn't judge him. But alas, he had no one he could completely trust with this sensitive information, and was left to suffer on his own, facing his own mind. Never before has he ever had these thoughts. He'd never confronted something so complicated and daunting in his life before, and without a friend to help him, it was going to be a little rough... He slumped down further into the couch, his back lying flat on the seat, his legs aimlessly sprawled on the floor.

"Rachael... Damn it" he cursed as he just closed his eyes, taking a moment to just not do anything.

Rachael was lying in her bed, blanket curled all around her like a cacoona, as she hugged her pillow tightly, her face rubbing along it, her cheeks nuzzling it up and down, and her nose stroking along its seams. She felt hot all over, flushed and filled with hype. She kissed him. Well, kissed him on the cheek, but her lips touched him nonetheless, and so for that, she was happy. But as happy as she felt, she couldn't help but feel a little bad. She liked Mr Col... Steven... A lot, and she wanted to be with him a lot longer, but she knew that he was worried about being seen together in a situation they wouldn't be able to explain their ways out of, so she felt a pang of guilt. She was so young and he was a teacher, so a lot of problems can occur, so she felt bad for putting his job, and the respect people have for her mother, in jeopardy. But right now she tried to distract herself by pretending the pillow she was cradling in her small arms was the tall strong torso of Steven, which she proceeded to peck and nuzzle, her inner warmth writhing, and her excitement growing. She grew intimate with her pillow, sliding her body against it as she held it towards her tightly. She wanted to do this too him, so she could bathe in his comforting warmth, to be taken in by his alluring must. She didn't know why she had these peculiar desires, not even aware of their implications, but she felt them nonetheless, and she relished in its hunger, as it made her more glad to see the Zoroark. She nibbled it a little, leaving littles stains of saliva on the case, wishing it was Steven's fur. However, all this chewing made her feel a spot hungry for a midnight snack, her appetite coming back despite all the butterflies she had felt in her stomach at dinner time, when she was still overly giddy from kissing Steven. She sat up so she could put the pillow down gently on her bed, giving it a quick peck before she swung her feet over the side of the bed, hoping off to land on the soft pads of her paws. Quietly she crept towards her door, her little eyes peering through the dim light of the moon that shone bleakly through her shutters. Carefully, she turned the door handle, her snout the first to peer round the corner, then her eyes, followed by the rest of her head. As she was about to step out however, her ears perched up, picking up a faint sobbing. Going to all fours, she crawled towards the source of the noise, which came from her mother's room. She pressed her ear against the door, trying to find out exactly was happening.

"G-g-Greg..." It was her mothers voice, crying out her father's name in anguish. This made Rachael sag her shoulders in a little, still not entirely over the loss of her father herself. "Why did you l-l-l-leave me..."

It was true that Rachel's dad just upped and left them alone out of the blue. He had said nothing about any issues he had, and he never had a fight in his life with Laura and absolutely cherished his daughter Rachael. He had worked as a lawyer, and his wife worked as a secretary to a small berry delivery company, so they had always had enough money to pay for most things, but after the disappearance of Greg, things seem to just fall apart. The prices of housing and rent in Sinnoh started to rise, and the company she had worked for was on the decline. Now Laura and Rachael were forced to move to Unovah and Laura had to take up two jobs and extra shifts, just to get a roof over their head and three meals on the table.

Rachael decided to let her midnight snack wait as she slowly opened the door. Inside she peeked to see her mother clutching a photo, most likely her father, in one hand, and the other with bundles of tissues. It was obvious she was crying as her eyes were red and puffy as well as her blankets were stained with tears. She looked up to see Rachael, then gave a weak and feeble smile.

"Hey honey, I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" She asked. Rachael entered the room, shaking her head.

"I was getting a snack..." She admitted, shuffling her feet a little. "But then I heard you crying, so I thought I could snuggle up with you for the night." Laura's smile grew stronger, playfully rolling her eyes.

"If you must" she chuckled faintly, opening up her arms. Rachael, as fast as a Scyther, dashed to quickly leap into her mothers open arms, giving her a big hug, her little head finding comfort in her mothers embrace. It reminded her of when she embraced Steven. But this time, it was different. In her mother's arms, she felt safe, but in Steven's arms, she felt... Protected. It was difficult for her to understand the exact nature of her feelings, but right now, she didn't care, all that mattered was burrowing her way in the warm blankets and nuzzling up to her mother, both of them closing their eyes, and drifted into a pleasant sleep.

Steven couldn't sleep. He was restless and stirring about in his bed, tossing and turning. He felt he was missing something, something that he had forgotten. His arms felt colder than usual, and no matter how much he tried burrowing into his blankets, they just wouldn't seem to get any warmth. His chest felt bare despite him wearing a thick woollen night shirt and a singlet underneath that, not to mention his thick luxurious patch of fur upon his torso. He couldn't understand the reasons behind his insomnia until he turned to hug his pillow, and in doing so, felt a tingle of excitement in himself. Of course, of course this was the reason behind it. He was longing for something to hold in his arms like he did when together with Nina. Oh he loved to just cuddle up with her in bed, both nuzzling noses before going to sleep. At least, that's what they did before the engagement, which afterwards she started to ignore him a little, constantly awake at her computer, looking up and researching all these things about their wedding and their kids and their education for the children... All important he understood, but she really didn't take the time to at least slow down a little and just pull back a gear. He felt pressured and under stress when she started to talk about their future, already preempting their life together without consulting him first. He gripped the pillow to him, feeling some little comfort from this, his mind imaging it was a person he was holding. That person being Nina. However, as he held it, he found his imaging and mental projection of Nina was wobbling and fading in and out, be replaced instead by a different woman. A different girl. A different... It was Rachael. He was thinking of her very clearly as he clutched the pillow in his quest for restful sleep. It was a nice substitute for the real thing,, but found it lacked two things. One was that it was no where near as warm as Rachael, which he decided to fix, by fetching a hot water bottle, and filled it with steaming water. As he laid down with the bottle in the pillow, he soon discovered the second missing element. Compassion. Even though this pillow was now exerting heat which he could feel through his arms, he couldn't feel warmth radiate through his chest. He was bothered by this, and bothered more so that his brain was longing for companionship with Rachael, not because she was a bad person, but because she was only 12. Gripping the pillow tighter now, he fell into a very uneasy and bothersome sleep.

Steven woke up dreadfully. His hair was all a mess and his eyes drooping with tiredness as he sat up in his bed. He had dreadful sleep, which led to a horrible morning wake up. He felt like he had just been hit on the head by a hammer arm, his head spinning from getting up so suddenly. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he stood to his feet and stretched his arms into the air, letting out a yawn as his fingertips reached up to the roof, each claw clicking against one another as he twirled them about a little. Dropping his arms down, he reached down to try and touch his toes, his back giving a small crack, which made him let out a small grunt. Pacing on the spot, he gave a brief jog, letting his blood circulate a little more through his body. He did this little rigorous activity whenever he needed a quick jump start to a bad morning, which normally followed a night of marking tests and assignments. After doing a few more doing a few more warm ups, he went into his small, cramped bathroom, and filled the sink with water, splashing it on to his face, letting the water drip off his face and down into the basin. He rubbed his eyes a few more times before looking at himself in the mirror. He could just see a tired looking train-wreck-of-a-man, his eyes still somewhat bloodshot. He just needed coffee, that's all. Just some coffee to get the gears turning to get him going, waking up his brain. After cleaning himself up, he gave his fur a slight trim along the mane with a small pair of scissors, each snip cutting off and refining his luxurious hair style, strands of fur landing onto a small towel he laid out in front of him, so as not to cause a mess. After a quick shake of the head to dust himself off, he gathered up the hair in the towel and disposed of them into the dust bin, the sink's tap still running. He went out to get changed back into his white shirt and tie, and black trousers, straightening the sleeves after he had done up the buttons. Throwing on his brown coat, he popped on the kettle and two pieces of bread on the toaster. Sitting down in his chair, he simply waited in the eerie silence, the vibration of the heated coils of the toaster and the subtle sounds of the flame jets were all that could heard. Uneasy, he started humming a tune, nothing special, just something to keep his mind occupied, occupied off everything... Especially Sarah... It's not as though he hated her, it was simply a matter of taboo. She was a little girl; and his student, which made it worse... He sighed, groaning slightly, until there was a knock at the door. He was a little puzzled at who would want to see him this early in the morning. Getting to his feet, he walked over to the door, looking through the eye hole, before almost collapsing onto the floor. It was Sarah, this time with a yellow ribbon in her hair, which she took the liberty to curl. It was obvious she was trying to impress someone, and that someone being Steven. His thoughts started jarring into each other, causing a pressure to build up, and as that compression grew, the kettle started whistling sharply, shrieking for release. He went to turn off the kettle before, with a hesitant breathing, opened the door, giving a smile at the timid girl. "Hello Sarah, you're up early" he said, trying his hardest to act casual.

"Well... I simply woke up early and thought I would say good morning Mr Coles" she said, playing with her hands, obviously feeling as uneasy as he was.

"Won't your mum be worried you're not in bed?" He asked, trying to avoid direct confrontation with her, the sight of her being both that of sickening worrying and somewhat alluring and dreamy.

"I left her a note saying I left early" she said, trying to reassure her caring teacher.

"Well uh..." Steven was struggling to think of the best course of action "come inside" he said, mentally face palming himself. How stupid, he thought, a teacher inviting his student into his house, I done for...

"Thank you" Was all she said, before stepping inside into his cozy little apartment. It was no bigger than her place but seemed to be more... Cramped. He had a desk in the corner which were scattered with papers, and the floor was scattered with small piles of dirty wash he had been meaning to take down to the communal laundry for quite sometime. She looked round to see his tiny kitchen witch was surprisingly spotless in comparison to the rest of the room. As she wandered around the messy apartment in curiosity, Steven was preparing himself a cup of coffee and buttered up the freshly popped toast.

"Did you want some?" He said, offering his second piece of toast to Rachael. She shifted her feet awkwardly, not certain about if she should accept his offer

"Sure..." She said.

The two sat happily chatting away as they ate their toast, and Rachael enjoyed the cup of tea that Steven had made for her.

"So what have you always wanted to be?" Steven asked, curious of what Rachael wanted to study. She shifted in her seat a little, resting her chin on her knuckles. She strained her brain just thinking about all the different jobs she could go for if she studied, but came to a conclusion

"I want to be a teacher like you Steven" she smiled, looking at her idol. Steven was flattered, and his ego inflated a little. He swelled his chest with fake bravado, before saying

"I don't think you could be a great teacher like me" he said in a very deep voice. Rachael smirked at her teacher, who had his chest thrust forward.

"Oh I think I can" she said confidently with a hint of mocking, before jabbing Steven in his stomach in the belly, causing him to keel over onto the table.

"Ouch..." He groaned "not... Called for..." He looked up, hoping to get pity from the girl, only to see her poking her tongue out. Steven was always know for his slightly mischievous nature when he had been pranked or out done, and always liked to settle the score. As she finished laughing at him and went back to sipping her drink, Steven went to go to his desk to grab his briefcase. As she was distracted by her toast and tea, Steven had crept behind her, before grabbing her around the middle and letting his claws lightly dance along her torso, tickling her sensitive skin. She almost dropped her tea and coughed out bread crumbs as she fell into a fit of laughter, powerless against Steven's strong hands as they fondled her sides. She was all a giggle, writhing in his arms, trying to get her vengeance upon him, but as she squirmed, his hand had slipped upon her chest. Steven had noticed, and his hand kept going at it. Rachael's breathing grew from joyful laughter to a slight pant as she started to tap Stevens arm

"S-s-steven..." She said, in amongst the giggles and pants "you...you're t-t-touching me... O-o-on the c-c-chest..." At hearing those words, Steven had almost instinctively let go off her, staring at his own hands briefly, both in shame and disgust

"I'm... I'm sorry Rachael..." He said, turning away to go to pick up his briefcase "I... I didn't mean to..." Before he couldn't say anything else, he felt Rachael tug his sleeve, her face that of caring concern

"It's okay sir..." She said, a little embarrassed and guilty at how sad she made her teacher "it was an accident, and I forgive you" she said, hugging his arm, looking up at him, a smile on her face. Steven couldn't help but let on a small smile himself, ruffling her hair lightly

"Than you" he said, before checking he had everything on him. Phone, wallet, briefcase... He was hoping he wasn't forgetting anything. "I think it's time for us to go" he said, reaching out his hand to Rachael

"Yes sir, Mr Coles!" she said, giving a salute and a grin. Hand in hand, the odd pair made their way down stairs... With the water in the bathroom still running...


End file.
